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Gratitude Journal For The Week of 7/15/2024
"Thankfulness is like a door to God's presence."
- Kendra Barrow, Vineyard Northwest
"Enter His gates with thanksgiving; go into His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name (Psalms 100:4 NLT)."
A Church I follow has an app (Crossroads Anywhere) where we journal together as a community, and one of the things we journal about are things we are thankful for. I wrote these for this week's prompts from the app. I hope these inspire you to reflect on what you are thankful for in your own life. :-)
7/15/2024
"What are you looking forward to this week?"
- Time with my family, including my core unit reunited.
- Good shows, games, music, podcasts, and sports to check out.
- Opportunities to learn and grow.
7/16/2024
"What are you grateful for today?"
- Waking up this morning.
- My family to return home to tonight.
- Getting some writing in last night.
- Coffee
7/18/2024
"How did someone help you this week?"
- Support from the gentlemen in Man to Man group as we discuss life and build each other up.
- My wife helping me with tasks we needed to accomplish.
- Support from co-workers.
7/19/2024
Affirmation: "God listens to me."
Thank You God for Your lessons and presence throughout this week. Thank You for walking with me through life's challenges and blessings, and thank You for a longer weekend to enjoy with my family.
Essie Strikes Back!
This chapter is part of "The Small Town Magic Arc." Links for prior chapters in this storyline can be found here: https://www.theprose.com/post/746871/the-small-town-magic-arc
"You won't lay a finger on him!" Essie yelled angrily as Rick and the ice that held him disappeared from Cyclo's approaching fist, immediately reappearing by her side.
"Ha ha ha ha, wanna bet?" Cyclo sneered. "Maybe it's time for me to head over there and see how you are all doing on that side of the field!"
"Not going to happen, Cyclo." Essie smiled sweetly, gaining her composure back. She pointed at the ground, and four skeletal arms popped out around Cyclo, gripping his arms and legs.
"Ha ha ha ha! These scrawny things won't be enough to keep me from visiting you, little lady!" Cyclo laughed. His guffawing stopped when his attempts to break the grip of the skeletal hands were unsuccessful.
"I will admit that I am almost impressed, but I already feel the strength of these things weakening. Hope you have another trick handy, young one."
"Oh, I sure do." Essie retorted, still smiling. If Rick hadn't been unconscious within his ice prison, Essie's beaming face would have likely been enough to melt the encasement.
Essie continued pointing at the ground, and a skeletal fist flew out and punched Cyclo in the face. Unfazed by the blow, he looked at the fist that lay on the ground with amusement.
"Cute. Maybe you should have worked for a kiddie haunted house. Unfortunately, any career options you might have had will fall to pieces once I break loose and return the favor."
"Who said I was off the clock yet?" Essie replied, still grinning. Swarms of skeletal fists then flew out of the ground and relentless struck Cyclo all over his body. Cyclo flailed back and forth helplessly as the fists mercilessly assaulted him, giving him no chance to breathe or react to anything except for the pain that he certainly no longer considered adorable. After what no doubt felt like an eternity for Cyclo, the fists retired and made room for swarms of skeletal arms that came out of the ground, the hands of each grabbing the cyclops until all that was visible was a mass of skeletal limbs.
"Hang in there Rick." Essie said tenderly. "I will thaw and heal you after I end this right here and now!"
To be continued....
Gratitude Journal For The Week of 7/8/2024
"Thankfulness is like a door to God's presence."
- Kendra Barrow, Vineyard Northwest
"Enter His gates with thanksgiving; go into His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name (Psalms 100:4 NLT)."
A Church I follow has an app (Crossroads Anywhere) where we journal together as a community, and one of the things we journal about are things we are thankful for. I wrote these for this week's prompts from the app. I hope these inspire you to reflect on what you are thankful for in your own life. :-)
7/8/2024
"What are you looking forward to this week?"
- My son's birthday.
- Putting the lesson from yesterday's church service to work, and remembering the times God worked in my life before, and how He will do it again.
- Time with family.
- Playing some new games, listening to some new music, reading, and podcasts.
7/9/2024
"What are you grateful for today?"
The desire God puts in us to learn, and the multitude of people and resources out there we can learn from.
7/11/2024
"How did someone help you this week?"
Leadership and co-workers helped me to get some things done at school this week.
7/12/2024
Affirmation: "I trust God."
"Is there anything you would like to thank God for this week?"
Thank You God for Your presence during a very challenging week, and the peace You provide while I navigate through some life storms. I know You are with me through it all, and I appreciate You.
Mage’s Embrace vs Sinister Tactics
This chapter is part of "The Small Town Magic Arc." Links for prior chapters in this storyline can be found here: https://www.theprose.com/post/746871/the-small-town-magic-arc
"Don't worry Rick, I've got you!"
True to her word, Rick disappeared from Cyclo's grasp, and returned to Essie's side.
"I'm sorry the strength increase didn't last long enough, are you ok?"
"Yeah, no need to apologize Essie." Rick grinned, despite being in great pain. "I knew we would have to learn the true potential of this power as we go. He busted the finger bones in my hand, but one of my blue grenades will fix that."
"No, please allow me." Essie said tenderly as her hand began glowing a bright white. She touched Rick's hand, and his fist was instantly restored.
"Thank you so much!" Rick gushed. "Are you up for using mage's embrace again?"
"Absolutely." Essie smiled sweetly, tenderly giving Rick another hug. Once she released him, Rick sped towards Cyclo, facing him once again.
"Ah, that girl holding you is what gave you that boost, huh?" Cyclo taunted. "So without the power of her magic, you my friend are useless!"
"You're wrong Cyclo." Rick replied boldly. "All of us bring something to the Pirate's crew, and by putting our talents together, we will defeat you!"
"Man, you are so lame!" Cyclo laughed. "Fine, hit me with your borrowed strength before it runs out again!"
Rick punched Cyclo in the chest, causing him to lean forward in pain. Rick then continued his assault with an uppercut to the chin, sending Cyclo into the air. Rick lept above Cyclo and struck his chest again with a dropsault, backflipping safely to the ground while Cyclo crashed onto his back. Rick summoned his sword into his hand, preparing to strike the finishing blow. Cyclo pointed at him with a glowing blue finger, firing an icy blast that pierced Rick's armor, leaving a hole in his right arm. Rick dropped his sword and stared at his opponent in a state of shock.
"You forgot that I have magic abilities too, didn't you?" Cyclo mocked as he waved his still glowing finger back and forth. Ice began forming in the hole in Rick's arm, quickly encasing the rest of him.
"Tough break there hero, or maybe it won't be so tough to break you at all!" Cyclo hollered in triumph as he picked himself up off the ground. "Let's see how many pieces I can smash you into - there's no way your girlfriend will be able to embrace all of them!"
To be continued....
Gratitude Journal For The Week of 7/1/2024
I thought I could keep up with doing gratitude journals without putting them on Prose, but I was wrong. So in an effort to be consistent again, I am bringing these back! I hope these inspire you to reflect on what you are thankful for in your own life. :-)
"Thankfulness is like a door to God's presence."
- Kendra Barrow, Vineyard Northwest
"Enter His gates with thanksgiving; go into His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name (Psalms 100:4 NLT)."
A Church I follow has an app (Crossroads Anywhere) where we journal together as a community, and one of the things we journal about are things we are thankful for. I wrote these for this week's prompts from the app....
7/1/2024
"What are you looking forward to this week?"
- Putting to the test my church's reminder that "There is always a solution (quote from Steve and Wendy Backlund)," and using this throughout the week when inevitable struggles hit.
- Time with my family, especially my wife and kids.
- Also inspired by the message from church this week, getting back into a focus on gratitude.
"Thankfulness is like a door to God's presence."
- Kendra Barrow, Vineyard Northwest
- The release of the new RPG game "The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak."
- A shorter work week.
7/2/2024
"What are you grateful for today?"
- Not walking alone, even in stormy times.
- Having some time this morning to connect with God.
- Today being the "Thursday" of my work week.
7/3/2024
"What made you smile or laugh this week?"
- Doing Gollum impressions at work.
- Playing Fortnite with my sons.
- Friendly gloating to my Dad about the Reds winning their first game against the Yankees.
7/5/2024
Affirmation: "God has great plans for my life."
"Is there anything you would like to thank God for this week?"
Thank You God for being close by through the good times this week, along with being there during the new challenges this week brought. Thank You for some rest over the holiday, and for a few more days to enjoy with my family before returning to the grind next week.
Colossians 4:2 - Making An Appointment With God (Bible Journal)
"[2] Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart (Colossians 4:2 NLT)."
I have become really good at keeping up with two short devotionals each morning (reading them in their respective apps, then listening to them in podcast format), but getting into a prayer routine has been something that I have continued to struggle with. I heard Brant Hansen recently question on his podcast how we would react if we no longer had access to speaking to God through prayer, and he remarked that having the access to be able to talk to God anytime through prayer is something that we should not pass up. This is definitely an area I want to grow in, and Paul's call to approach prayer with "an alert mind and a thankful heart" is definitely good advice I can appreciate and get behind. Finding some undistracted alone time for prayer would certainly help with raising focus, and approaching this time with an emphasis on gratitude seems like it would help me to not only speak to Him with an appreciative tone, but would also help me in my own reflections on all the blessings and wonderful things He has put in my life.
Thank You Lord for continuing to be there for me and for loving me, even with my struggles in connecting with You more often in prayer. You have reminded me of the benefits of taking You up on dedicating time to bond with You over prayer, and I am feeling inspired to work on this once again. Please help me to improve in consistent prayer, and please help me to do this not to attempt to gain favor (You already did that with the cross), but please help me to do this in order to grow closer to You. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
The Strength of the Crewmate
This chapter is part of "The Small Town Magic Arc." Links for prior chapters in this storyline can be found here: https://www.theprose.com/post/746871/the-small-town-magic-arc
"I'll admit that you surprised me boy, but don't get cocky." Cyclo smirked. "Go on, show me more of that teenage strength of yours."
Cyclo led off by taking a swing at Rick. Rick caught his attacker's closed fist and squeezed, causing his foe to wince. Still gripping Cyclo's fist, Rick pulled the cyclops behind him and threw him like he was pitching a baseball. Cyclo crashed into a house, becoming buried in wreckage once again. Rick then made a laser gun appear in his hand by thought, and fired multiple blasts until the ruined structure burst into flames.
"Oh my, did he actually beat him?" Jahno asked incredulously.
"It wouldn't surprise me dad." Tamma beamed. "Hugh told me we could count on the Pirate and his crew when I hired them. And it seems like the Pirate's crewmate Rick may have been all we needed today."
"No, it's not over." The Pirate replied with a grim expression that quickly converted into a warm smile. "But you're right Tamma, my comrades can be trusted."
"We absolutely can be." Cerissa added, also smiling at the mayor and his daughter. "The Pirate and I will continue to protect you guys while Rick continues taking it to Cyclo. And you will also be seeing what Essie brings to the fray soon."
Cyclo emerged from the flames initially with a limp, quickly switching to a full run in his return to Rick. He only appeared to suffer minor burns, and his expression was filled with glee.
"Not bad kid, it's been a while since I've actually been hurt a bit." Cyclo grinned. "If you weren't in the way of me collecting what is mine, we could have been good brawling buddies. You may be getting all of your strength from your helmet there, but I can't deny the skill you are showing in utilizing it. Now start the next assault boy. Punch me with everything you've got."
"If you wish." Rick said as he smiled under his helmet. He then hurled his own closed fist at his foe, which was promptly caught. Cyclo grinned viciously as he squeezed his opponent's fist this time, resulting in screams from Rick as he heard and felt the bones in his hand crack.
"I should have known, you were temporarily powered up, most likely by the teenage mage over there." Cyclo declared triumphantly. "Time's up in more ways then one, huh?"
To be continued....
1 Corinthians 15:12-20 - Doubts Are Bible Canon (Bible Journal)
"[12] But tell me this—since we preach that Christ rose from the dead, why are some of you saying there will be no resurrection of the dead? [13] For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. [14] And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless. [15] And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. [16] And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. [17] And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. [18] In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! [19] And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. [20] But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died (1 Corinthians 15:12-20 NLT)."
I have struggled with the voice of doubt, and I can't say that I still don't. But these words from Paul are so helpful to me, and I still can't believe that some of the same doubts I wrestle with are actually Bible canon! I love how Paul states the worse case scenario of what if we are all wrong about Christianity, states that it would basically suck to be us if that is actually the case, then reaffirms the truth of what Jesus did for us, and pushes forward. These are life verses for me that I read regularly when my Bible habit is on track, and they always bring me comfort and improved faith in their way of addressing my concerns in a guilt free fashion, and they also remind me of the other multiple passages in the Bible that discuss doubt (including doubts that some of the heroes of the Bible fought with and won against). I am grateful to God for sticking by me despite doubts of my own, and for giving me resources to help me work through doubt. This kindness of the Lord inspires me to continue to seek Him and grow in my faith.
An Uneven Matchup? Rick vs Cyclo
This chapter is part of "The Small Town Magic Arc." Links for prior chapters in this storyline can be found here: https://www.theprose.com/post/746871/the-small-town-magic-arc
Cyclo dropped to the ground and rolled around laughing. He then stood up and jeered at Rick.
"You think you can take me, boy? You must be a teenager, thinking you can take on challenges you are horribly unqualified for! Fine with me! If you want to die first, I can take you clowns on from youngest to oldest!"
"I, and everyone else in our crew will not be dying today." Rick replied boldly. "Even you aren't going to die Cyclo. But I promise you that when this is over, you won't terrorize Tamma, Jahno, this town, or anyone and anyplace ever again."
"Not gonna kill me eh? Then you will definitely fail lad! Well, I declare that I am going to kill you. And I promise that it will be a very excruciating, painful death!"
"You've got this Rick, we believe in you." The Pirate smiled as he patted Rick's shoulder. "Go ahead and teach this Goliath wannabe a lesson!"
"The Pirate and I will protect Tamma and Jahno, starting with a force field spell." Cerissa added. "Essie, can you back Rick up if needed?"
"Of course I will." Essie said in a tone that sounded both brave and affectionate. She then embraced Rick. "I have your back, always."
"Thanks Essie, I will always protect you.... and everyone else too of course!" Rick was grateful for his helmet covering up his blushing.
"Awwwww, how freaking wholesome!" Cyclo mocked. "Can we get to the fight already, before you win by putting me to sleep, or making me vomit?"
"Sure thing Cyclo, we've all waited long enough for this fight!" Rick shouted as he charged at Cyclo. Cyclo laughed gleefully and also sprinted towards his opponent. Once they were close enough, Rick followed through with a closed fist to Cyclo's face. The force of Rick's punch sent the cyclops flying into a distant barn, causing the structure to collapse. Cyclo emerged from the wreckage and limped back to his much smaller foe, his expression reflecting his shock and anger.
"How.... did.... you.... do that?!?"
"Trade secret." Rick replied in a mocking tone of his own. "Ready to continue being pounced, or will you surrender now?"
To be continued....
Corinthians 14:15-19 - Power Through Words (Bible Journal)
"[15] Well then, what shall I do? I will pray in the spirit, and I will also pray in words I understand. I will sing in the spirit, and I will also sing in words I understand. [16] For if you praise God only in the spirit, how can those who don’t understand you praise God along with you? How can they join you in giving thanks when they don’t understand what you are saying? [17] You will be giving thanks very well, but it won’t strengthen the people who hear you. [18] I thank God that I speak in tongues more than any of you. [19] But in a church meeting I would rather speak five understandable words to help others than ten thousand words in an unknown language (1 Corinthians 14:15-19 NLT)."
There can be awe inspiring power in observing the process of someone speaking in tongues, but without a translation in understandable language, the words themselves aren't going to help anyone that isn't following what is being communicated. Words that we can understand and use to interact with others have incredible power when it comes to passing on a message, including messages God wants us to hear. Paul's point of preferring "five understandable words" was in contrast to just speaking in tongues, but even when it comes to many words in an understandable language, just a few can sometimes be enough to be life changing. This week I want to work on paying attention to the words God is passing on through those He has entrusted with them. By doing this I seek to not only learn more about God, but also grow closer to Him. Whether the words are many that come from a lengthy podcast, or a quick quote from a short devotional, God's power can shine through, and I want to soak them in.